NANFA members and artists get Free space and Free advertising. NANFA benefits by getting the word of its mission out to more people.

1. The Gardens Under Glass program will hope to design a hydroponic growing system that will incorporate native fish/aquariums for the water that will grow the veggies! A local school will be involved as well with their nature learning department.

2. Storefront Makeover program will hope to showcase artists and their art, with professional setup.

Note: Robert Carillio is a long-time NANFA member from Ohio and he is organizing this program.

Storefront Makeover Opportunities For Downtown!
Press Release!

Attention Plain Dealer!

Let me tell you about “The Storefront Makeover Program” for downtown Cleveland!

There is currently a new program in operation downtown to enhance the visual appearance of empty historic storefronts. We are working with several local artists to offer building owners with storefront window space---completely free of charge---the opportunity to have their storefronts freshly made-over with tasteful art exhibits. Some will have themes of helping to foster a litter free/recycling mindset in our city, while others will be themed accordingly to property owners preferences.

The concept is nothing new, and in fact has been implemented in other cities as well as right here in Cleveland, however, we feel we could use a lot more of the concept downtown. The program, simply called as of now….“The Storefront Makeover Program” has been in operation for over a month and has gained enthusiastic support. The program will achieve many positives and offers a win/win/win scenario.

For the owner of the building, the program will make the space available for rent/lease much more marketable to potential occupiers of the space---as well as inspire onlookers as to just how classy a genuine and historic downtown retail space can look when displayed just the way they were in their heydays. A finished window display will exude life and activity, and such would be a great contrast to the typical empty storefront with dirty or whitewashed windows donning a “For Rent/Lease” which really is a testament to depression or difficult times.

Until the spaces are occupied with valid tenants, why should they be left to decay?
We are also confident that this program could be an important role in possibly deterring unwanted activity near the properties, as it portrays activity and occupancy of the space--especially at night, when the displays can be colorfully lit.

For the visitor and window shopper, obviously there are the benefits. When visitors come downtown they tend to be polarized in “districts” and do not venture beyond them. By filling all the in-space between the districts with window displays, it will sort of act as a magnet to draw walkers to observe the displays.


Finally, for the participating artists, this program will offer free advertising for their art, and direct onlookers to places where they may be able to purchase their art. So, the program also potentially helps other businesses downtown. The retail spaces will be freshly cleaned inside and out, as well as the walks in front of the space. Anyone wishing to participate in the opportunity, and for further details should contact Vicky Poole or Robert Carillio at: 440-225-0723 or 330-393-4448


Accompanying program......


Introducing Gardens Under Glass For Cleveland And North East Ohio!
There is a new concept in the works tilling in downtown Cleveland that will offer local restaurants, small farmers and community gardeners as well as individuals to grow their own food year round! It is the Gardens Under Glass concept that will transform a former specialty shopping mall called "The Galleria" into a neighborhood community institution that will offer the above gardening opportunities, specialty art galleries and unique shops/businesses and services already housed in the building---as well as an expanded selection of eco-friendly merchants carrying many independently and locally made products to serve life's daily needs. Some of the products such as art, furniture or clothing you can find in the place will be made from recycled materials.

Gardens Under Glass at the Galleria can also serve as a "bookend" of sort for the adjacent emerging Asia Town neighborhood---as it is located in central downtown Cleveland's northeastern most edge, opposite of Asia Town. These places are already virtually linked by nearby Rockwell Avenue. There can be a great synergy between the two places as local residents and even restaurants can rent/lease out spaces in hanging gardens to grow foods locally and hydroponically.

That said, in the simplest of words, is the very basic concept; and what a great re-invention of building and downtown district this can be! I don't want to spoil the surprise on this...so please visit the website for further details about the proposed project.

see: www.gardensunderglass.vpweb.com

Wow! You mean there is not one person out there who might be interested in this idea of incorporating NANFA into this effort?

Uh, there may be a limited number of NANFAns who live in Cleveland and are available for some serious hydroponics work, but I hope I'm wrong. I doubt that anyone here is opposed to participatory living public art. Personally I'd like to see the development of supporting emergent vegetation in a hydroponics system that can replicate a riffle system with darters and, say, warpaint shiners. Hmm, maybe I should go to Cleveland!

Do you have to go to Cleveland to participate? We have a number of talented artists on the forum that could take advantage of the first half of the offer (to showcase artwork), if someone else does the setting up. If someone had to time to put it together, even a NANFA display board could go in the same space.

A description of the opportunity that is a little less press release / hype and heavier on details of what exactly it is that NANFA members could do might get a better response. I've read through this several times, and I have to say that I don't really understand in what capacity NANFA as an organization or individual NANFA members might get involved.

Hello everyone....thanks for your feedback.... Fine details will/can be discussed via phone. When we speak you will understand why....Magic Carpet pretty much summed it up, though. Its really simple. The window opportunities will be FREE space to display art and reach a wide variety of people (beyond the choir, so to speak) who live downtown in pretty trendy places. The art can reflect a local theme/regional theme. It will be lit at night and set up by professional window marketers from a local art college--and the artist can surely be there to direct. It will be secure. There are no contracts to sign unless the participating artist would need one drafted. Other than at related conventions, I don't think there is very many places one can go to view native fish art and these windows will eventually be part of an outdoor 'window shopping art walk' and are longer term set-ups.

Gardens Under Glass is gaining incredible momentum and national interest as a great adaptive re-use of a property and a place where smaller vendors can sell their locally made products from clothing to furniture to art, to handbags, to local food and vegetarian/vegan establishments....and the place will be marketed to those kinds of individuals who would most likely support it. I want to incorporate native fish themes within this opportunity in exactly the same way someone here described--AND, we have discussed even manufacturing such a hydroponic system as a smaller complete kit to make available to those who would want to try the system at home. Basically, NANFA participants in this program may even be eligible for individual compensation---and as a group, NANFA has the opportunity to facilitate/direct the project and get a lot of free exposure.

The combined opportunity really offers a chance for outreach...to reach beyond the choir and gain more attention to the nation's native species of fishes and aquatic habitats. You don't have to be from Ohio to help with this and create a positive impact. I am looking for a handful of participants. Indeed, some would have to travel if they are coming in from farther away, but there is a lot of potential opportunity here. The program even received a large grant so it is being taken seriously and will be the largest indoor urban garden in the nation to the best our our knowledge.

So, between the window program offering opportunity for art exposure, art selling, and showcasing native species...and Gardens... I hope to get some participants. Once I round up enough of you, we can speak via phone/skype and go over details for a meeting that will go in further details as to how you can help with this program. If you have art sitting around in storage, there is no need for it to sit dormant anymore...and I hope we can infuse our interests well into both programs which are working out from under the same roof. The art program already has 7 places filled and this has only been going on for 5 months. The arranging and negotiating takes a while. I currently have window opportunities in two large places. More to come. let's fill the town with fish!

By the way, if you are not familiar....Downtown Cleveland, believe it or not, even in this economy, has been one of the slowly, but steadily growing downtowns in terms of population and new interest. It works towards a goal and vision to see it re-invented into a full time functional walkable neighborhood of choice with a little less crowdedness and costs than the much larger cities...so, you really can be a big fish in a smaller pond and make a difference. You will find a very welcoming and accommodating atmosphere. I can walk anyone who participates in this program through every step.


IF you are interested, please email me... riverlover33@yahoo.com for starters.


Thank You!

Edited by Riverlover, 14 March 2010 - 07:54 PM.

Uh, there may be a limited number of NANFAns who live in Cleveland and are available for some serious hydroponics work, but I hope I'm wrong. I doubt that anyone here is opposed to participatory living public art. Personally I'd like to see the development of supporting emergent vegetation in a hydroponics system that can replicate a riffle system with darters and, say, warpaint shiners. Hmm, maybe I should go to Cleveland!

Bruce.... I would love to have you here to work with this! One does not actually have to come here.........but we need to find a way to receive any art and advertising you may want to include. If it is too large for you to ship....then you may have to take one weekend to come here and deliver it and watch it get set up and help with it... OR, just to deliver it to our HQ and we will do the rest. The hydroponics system you describe is exactly what we have in mind.... and there are hydro-people here...we need some more people on the fish end, besides myself, to facilitate implementing that part.

Edited by Riverlover, 14 March 2010 - 08:00 PM.

Hey,

I just saw this topic right now. Um, you can pm me if you still need help. My e-mail address is elw21@case.edu as well.

From,
Erica Wieser

Just an update on the project. Aquaponics up and running--using native fish/habitat scenes in the aquarium part to allow for the chance to open another door of educating people on natives/habitats. Anyone interested in helping out, please contact me.